Battery disconnect switch

[rfsod48]

When installing a battery disconnect switch do you put one on both the house and chassis batteries or just the house batteries?

[BTPO1]

RoyB wrote:
I don't think it would be a good idea to remove all power from the truck electronics... Everything connected will lose their settings and you may have a problem getting the proper setting back...

I had one case where my 2004 F150 alternator went out on me which resulted in my truck start battery was disconnected for a few days. When I finally got my alternator replaced with a NAPA refurbished unit everything went ok except my truck engine idle was very low - around 400RPMs.. The consensus was it would learn its proper settings as there is no external adjustment for this like the old days...

I fought it for a few days driving around having it die on me at stop signs etc unless I kept my foot on the gas pedal. I never seen any change on things so I finally had to take it into the Ford Shop. Cost me $90 for them to put it on their computer for about five minutes to reset the setting...

Lesson learned for me was to never leave the start battery disconnected...

Could have been just a fluke but even today with my 2010 Truck if I have to remove my truck start battery terminals for any reason I clip in a second battery to keep the truck's electronics things alive and working...

Roy Ken

I agree you Roy.

What you said is what I was trying to say. I changed my original battery after 12 years, then had problems trying to smog the MH. I had drove it well over a 1000 miles before getting it smog checked, but the computer did not have all of the information it needed.

I never have had a problem with parasitic drains on the MH chassis battery even after sitting several months. I guess that diesels have more problems with parasitic drains. I would think that two and a half weeks is kind of a short time to have a battery go down, but I don't own a diesel so I don't know. JMO

[RoyB]

I don't think it would be a good idea to remove all power from the truck electronics... Everything connected will lose their settings and you may have a problem getting the proper setting back...

I had one case where my 2004 F150 alternator went out on me which resulted in my truck start battery was disconnected for a few days. When I finally got my alternator replaced with a NAPA refurbished unit everything went ok except my truck engine idle was very low - around 400RPMs.. The consensus was it would learn its proper settings as there is no external adjustment for this like the old days...

I fought it for a few days driving around having it die on me at stop signs etc unless I kept my foot on the gas pedal. I never seen any change on things so I finally had to take it into the Ford Shop. Cost me $90 for them to put it on their computer for about five minutes to reset the setting...

Lesson learned for me was to never leave the start battery disconnected...

Could have been just a fluke but even today with my 2010 Truck if I have to remove my truck start battery terminals for any reason I clip in a second battery to keep the truck's electronics things alive and working...

Roy Ken

[SCVJeff]

BTPO1 wrote:
I only use one for the house batteries. I don't like disconnecting the chassis battery since it kills all power to the computer and radio settings. I have not had a problem with the chassis battery going down. JMO

Thats the whole point isn't it?

Freightliner XC Chassis are famous for phantom draws which is why either them or Winebago have disconnects on all batteries.

I got about 2.5 weeks on the Chassis batteries before I had trouble starting, if I was lucky. And that's the reason for 1/2kw of solar now installed.

[BTPO1]

I only use one for the house batteries. I don't like disconnecting the chassis battery since it kills all power to the computer and radio settings. I have not had a problem with the chassis battery going down. JMO

[Trackrig]

I would do both if you're going to do them, but you probably have more phantom draws on the house batteries than you do the chassis batteries.

Bill

[Oasisbob]

Just the house batteries. I put a simple push pull switch on the tip of my battery box. Has worked for years. Best of luck